More than $3 million boost for Christchurch, South Island rail announced

Passenger rail looks set to return to Rangiora, but the cost and how it will work remains uncertain.

Rail Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced on Sunday the Regional Infrastructure Fund will provide a loan of $3.4 million to support commuter rail from Rangiora and Rolleston into Christchurch, and a 12-month trial for a Christchurch to Invercargill passenger service.

The service would be with Mainland Rail, which has been offering a train for various events, including Crusaders rugby matches into the new Te Kaha Stadium and a monthly Mainlander service from Christchurch to Invercargill.

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said the council had given its support to Mainland Rail's proposal in principal.

But until a more formal proposal was presented, how the service would work and how much it will cost ratepayers was unclear.

"We would be open to discussing what role Waimakariri could play in supporting the infrastructure needed to make it work, similar to how we support public transport today," Mr Gordon said.

Any funding would need to be considered as part of next year's Long Term Plan, he said.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) has been lobbying the Government to back passenger rail for several years.

The council's public transport core services lead Cr Joe Davies said the timing was "interesting", as there had been mixed messages coming from Government in recent months.

"It is interesting timing, being less than a week from the general election, but I'm also interested to see how the $3.4m loan is going to be split.

"But it does show how you can make projects work utilising existing infrastructure."

ECan budgeted $525,000 in its latest Long Term Plan for rail for the 2027/28 financial year.

Cr Davies said his focus over the next six months will be pushing to get "regional rail" included in the next Canterbury Land Transport Regional Plan.

The plan is developed by the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee, which comprises the region's mayors, ECan and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

Cr Davies and ECan chairperson Dr Deon Swiggs will also look to build on their relationship with the Otago Southland Regional Transport Committee.

In Sunday's announcement, Mr Peters said the Rangiora and Rolleston services were expected to run as morning and evening commuter services from mid-2027.

"New Zealand's railways began in Christchurch in 1863, and it is time we put them back to use again for passenger rail, not just freight and tourism."

Mr Peters said the service is subject to the local councils committing to co-funding the initiative.

The Rolleston trip is expected to take less than 20 minutes, while the Rangiora commute is closer to 50 minutes, with trains expected to stop at Moorhouse Ave.

Under the proposal, Mainland Rail would boost the Mainlander service to a regular timetable between Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Gore and Invercargill.

It was too early to say how much passenger fares will be.

Mainland Rail will now work through the planning processes with the councils, the rail regulator, and KiwiRail.